Window regulator



Feb. 6, 1934.

s. w. N ICHOLSON WINDOW REGULATOR Filed Dec. 7. 1932 SSheets-Sheet 1 jam/5y M'Mz/za/sm Feb. 6, 1934. 5 w NICHOLSON 1,945,821

WINDbW REGULATOR Filed Dec. 7, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 H a 4 flan/5y WWW/5m g 6mg Feb. 6, 1934.

s. w. NICHOLSON WINDOW REGULATOR Filed Dec. 7, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 5.

////4 ///////4 I II I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WINDOW REGULATOR Stanley W. Nicholson, Milwaukee, Wis., assigno'r to Briggs & Stratton Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Application December 7, 1932. Serial No. 646,077

18 Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in window regulators and has as a general object to provide a practical pneu-- matically actuated regulator mechanism.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pneumatic window regulator of such construction as to enable manufacture at a sufficiently low cost to meet current competition.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a novel brake or locking mechanism for releasably securing the window in any adjusted position.

Another object of this invention is to a common means for the control of the provide looking or brake mechanism and the valve for the pneumatic actuating means.

It is also an object of this invention to provide simple means for clamping the window pane directly 'to hold the same against rattling which means is released by the common control for the brake mechanism and valve.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds,

my invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by theappended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise ment of the hereindisclosed invention embodimay be to the best mode I have so far devised practical application of the principles and in which:

for the thereof,

Figure 1 is an insideviewof a conventional automobile door with parts broken away and illustrating the application of my invention thereto;

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal through the door taken on the plane of 2-2 of Fig. 1;

section the line Figure 3 is an enlarged elevation of the window supporting member and illustrating the relationship of the valve and brake mechanism thereto;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken through Fig. 3, on the plane of the line 4-4; Figure 5 is a detail view taken on the plane of theline 5-5 of Fig. 2, and illustrating the clamping means in its operative position;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, the clamping means released;

showing numeral 8 designates generally a conventional vehicle door having a window opening 9 adapted to be closed by a window pane 10. As is customary, the window pane is mounted for vertical sliding movement from a closed position to an open position with the pane projected beneath the window sill 11.

In transverse section, the door portion beneath the window sill has an outer wall 12 and an inner wall 13 partially formed by a transverse plate 14, which also serves as part of the window sill. The upper edge of the plate 14 mounts a wood strip 15, as is customary.

The window pane is guided for vertical sliding movement to and from closed position jointly by the usual channel guides at the sides of the window opening and by part of the regulator mechanism 16 employed to raise and lower the pane, as will be later described.

This regulator comprises a vertical guide bar 17 fixed at its upper end to a flange 18 which is part of the outer wall 12 and is directed downwardly at the window sill, and at its lower end to a transverse member 19 which forms part of the door construction. Slidably mounted on the guide 17 is a supporting member 20 which consists of a substantially triangular plate 21 fixed to a channel 22. The channel 22 embraces the bar 17 and is of substantial length so that'the supporting member is rigidly held against tilting and is freely slidable on the guide.

The outer upper ends of the triangular plate 21 are provided with lugs 23 which project laterally therefrom to engage in openings formed in the depending flange of an angle member 24 attached to the channel 25 in which the lower, edge of the window pane is secured. Hence, the window pane is positively held against tilting by the supporting member 20 and is properly guided for its raising and lowering movement substantally independently of the side channel guides. This is a very desirable feature especially where one side of the window opening is inclined as illustrated in Fig. 1.

At the side of the guide 1'7 opposite the suplower open end of the elliptical shell of the cylin-I porting member 20 is the pneumatic actuating mechanism comprising a pair of telescoped cylinders 26 and 27 and a piston member 28. The cylinders 26 and 27 (are preferably of elliptical shape in transverse section to permit increased volume without requiring too great a space for installation. The outer cylinder 26, which is also uppermost, is rigidly secured to the upper portionof, the guide bar 17, and the lower end of the piston member 28 isrigidly connected as at 29 to the adjacent lower end of the channel 22, which forms part of the window pane support; The combined length of the telescoped cylinders and the piston-member issuch that when fully expanded, the window pane is in its lowermost position, and the upper cylinder 26 is so located that when the cylinders and the piston member are collapsed, the window is fully closed.

In detail, the upper cylinder 26, which is secured to the guide bar, comprises an elliptical shell provided with a closed top wall 30. A gooseneck tube 31. is fixed to the wall 30 to provide a port leading to the interior of the cylinder. The

der 26 has a leather bumper 32 fixed to its inner surface to limit the outward movement of the cylinder 27. g V

The cylinder 27 also has an elliptical shell with a closed top wall 33. To this top wall 33, a leather packing cup 34 is secured by a tubular rivet 35. Besides the leather cup 34, the rivet 35 secures a felt bumper 36 and ametal washer 37 interposedbetween the bumper and the leather cup, and as the rivet is tubular, it communicates the cylinders 26 and 27. The lower end of the cylinder 27 is partially closed by a wall 38, as bestshown in Fig. 8, but is open sufliciently to enable the head. 39 of the piston member to be inserted into the cylinder 27, by disposing the same angularly with respect thereto during the assembly. g

The head 39 of the piston member is substantially of the same constructionas that at the upper end of the cylinder 27 with the exception .that the rivet 40 holding the leather cup and bumper in place is not tubular. The piston member proper, which projects downwardly through the opening in the bottom of the cylinder 27for the sake of lightness, is preferably merely an arcuate plate.

'To raise the window pane, the air within the cylinders 26 and 27 is exhausted, which causes atmospheric pressure to collapse the cylinders and piston. The withdrawal of the air from the cylinders 26 and 27 is effected by suction created by the engine of the automobile and applied to the cylinders 26 and 27-through ducts 41 and 42. The

duct 41 enters the interior of the door through itsgoose-necktube 31 at the upper end of the cyl- Y inder 26 and leads tonne port of a valve indicated generally by the numeral 43 for controlling the connection of the cylinders 26 and 27 with the source of suction. This valve is mounted near the lower end of the guide bar 17 preferably by means of a foot 44 fixed to one section of the valve and secured to a bracket 45 welded or otherwise attached to the transverse member 19 which forms part of the door construction.

The valve per se comprisesa'stationary section 46 and a complementary rotatable section 47. The foot 44 is fixed to the bottom of the stationary section. This section has an annular chamber 48 provided with a port 49 with which the duct 41 is connected. The top wall 48' of the annular chamber has a plurality of circumferentially disposed ports 50, and a plurality of radial grooves 51 interposed between the ports 50.

A central stem 52 projects upwardly from the fixed section 46 to rotatably mount the section 47 and maintain the sameassembled with the jects into a pocket 53 opening to the top of the section 47 and in which an expansive spring 54 is located, the spring being confined under tension between the bottom of the pocket 53 and the upper upset or riveted head 55 of the stem.

The rotatable section 47 is thus held assembled I ports 59 leading from its annular chamber 56, so

disposed that when the section 47 is in a prede-- termined position of rotation, they will align with the ports 50 in the fixed section. The two annular valve chambers are,thus communicable hrough the alignedports. With the section 47 at another positiono'f rotation, the ports 59 align with the radial slots 51, to vent the chamber 56 and consequentlythe cylinders 26 and 27 to the atmosphere; and at an intermediate position of rotation, the ports 59 are closed by the top wall of the stationary section.

It is thus seen that when it is desired to raise the window pane, the rotatable valve section 47 must be turned to its position at which its ports 59 align with the ports 50, and when it is desired to lower the window, the valve member 47 must be turned to align its ports 59' with the radial slots 51. i

For the control of the valve and specifically the actuation of its rotatable section, a lever handle 60 is conveniently mounted at the window sill. This handle 60 projects through an opening in the plate 14 to enter a recess 61 in the adjacent wood strip 15 where it is attached to the upper end of an actuating bar 62. The extreme upper end of the bar 62 is rotatably mounted as will be later described, and the lower end is connected to the rotatable valve section 47.

For purposes of assembly, the connection of the bar 62 with the rotatable valve section is preferably detachable and in the present instance is formed by two diametrically opposite pins 63 ex- 3 tending upwardly from the rotatable valve section to enter correspondingly placed bores in an enlargement 64 fixed to the lower end of the bar.

The rotatable mounting of the upper end of the.bar 62 is provided by a round plug 65 fixed to the end of the bar and 'journalled either in a bearing formed directly in part of the window sill, or as in the present instance, ina bearing 66 forming pan of a housing 67 fixed to the window sill.

The housing 6'7, as best illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, mounts a clamping member 68 between which and a rubber bumper 69 carried by the fiang'e 18, the window pane may be directly clamped. 3

The clamping member 68 is preferably formed of leather or other suitable material and is disposed between the upper and lower walls '70 of the housing 67 which is U-shaped in transverse section. The closed side wall 71 of the housing, has its ends directed inwardly to form hooks 72 in which the ends of a leaf spring '73 are engaged. This leaf spring is normally bowed and engages the clamping member 68 to force the same toward the window pane in clamping engagement.

Projected from the upper end of the plug 65, which is journalled in the bearing 66, is an eccentric projection 74. This projection extends upwardly through a recess 75 provided therefor in the clamping member to lie adjacent the medial portion of the spring. When the bar 62 is in its position holding the rotatable valve section 47in its neutral position, the flat side of the projection 74 is parallel to the adjacent medial portion of the spring and spaced slightly therefrom so that the full force of the spring may oe applied to the clamping member 68.

Upon turning of the bar 62 in either direction, however, one edge or the other of the flat side of the projection 74 engages the spring 73 and moves it to inoperative position as illustrated in Fig. 6, thus releasing the clamping pressure from the member 68 and permitting the window pane to move freely. It is observed that the spring 73 not only serves to urge the clamping member to its operative position, but also yieldably maintains the actuating lever and the control for the valve in a neutral position.

The clamping action afforded'by the mechanism just described is sufficient to hold the window pane against rattling, but is not relied upon the lock the window in its various positions of adjustment. This function is performed 'by a brake or locking mechanism indicated generally by the numeral 7'7. This brakev mechanism is carried by .the supporting member 20 and, comprises a pin .78 projectable through aligned openings in the plate 21 and a mounting bracket '79 fixed thereto, into any one of a plurality of vertically spaced holes in the guide bar 1'7.

The pin '78 is pivotally connected as at 81 to one end of a lever 82 which is confined between the arms of a second forked lever 83 and pivotally connected thereto as at 84. The forked ends of the lever 83 are pivoted to the flanges of the bracket '79 as at 85; The connected levers 82 and 83 are thus movable about the axis of the pivotal connections 85 which coincides with the pivotal connection 81 in its normal position so that the outer ends 86 and 87 of the levers 82 and 83 respectively, may be moved without relative motion to different positions within the predetermined These outer ends 86 and 87 of the pivotally connected levers 82 and 83, which are in efiect the legs of a scissors, are disposed on opposite sides of the valve operating bar 62 and are yieldably urged together by a spring 88 mounted on a pin 89 carried by the lever 83, the spring being confined between the end 86 of the other lever and a stop 90 on the other end of the ends 86 and 87 together, thus tends to project the'pin 78 into one of the openings 80 at all times, and to preclude binding between the lever ends and the valve adjusting bar 62, the length of the pin 78 is such that in its operative position it engages the bottom of the channel 22 to limit'the movement of the lever ends toward. each other and maintain them spaced apart a distance greater than the thickness of the bar 62. Consequently, free relative motion between these parts is permitted.

Y Obviously spreading the lever ends 86 and 87 apart withdraws the pin '78 from the aperture 80 in which it is engaged, to free the window pane supporting member and the window pane for vertical adjustment. This spreading of the lever ends is conveniently accomplished by the turning of the bar 62 during the actuation of the valve to either position. The bar 62 thus forms a common actuator for the valve, the clamping means at the window sill, and the releasable lock mechanism 77.

Operation Assuming the window to be open and the window pane at its lowermost position, if it is desired to raise the window pane, the actuating lever 60 is moved to one side of its normal oper-- source of vacuum. The air within the cylinders of the pneumatic regulator is thus withdrawn and atmospheric pressure collapses the same to elevate the window pane. It is, of course, apparent that by the manipulation of the actuating handle 60 and the consequent turning of the bar 62, the clamping action at the window sill as well as the locking mechanism '77 is released to free the window pane for the desired upward movement.

When the window pane has been raised to the desired height, the actuating lever is returned to its normal neutral position to shut oif the communication between the source of suction and the pneumatic actuator and permit the clamping mechanism and the locking mechanism to become operative and secure the window pane in adjusted position.

To lower the window pane, it is only necessary to move the lever 60 in the opposite direction, (to the left in Fig. 1) which again releases the clamping mechanism and the brake or looking mechanism and turns the rotatable valve section to its position at which the ports 59 align with the radial slots 51. of the cylinders of the pneumatic regulator with the atmosphere and the weight of the window causes it to drop.'

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, that this invention affords a novel pneumatically operated window regulator which is of simple and prac- This communicates the interior tical construction and in which a'single control The spring 88, in yieldably holding the lever to raise and lower the window pane, and a lock- 156 ing element carried by said member and engageable with the guide to positively hold the window pane in any position of adjustment.

2. Means to raise and lower a window pane,

' comprising a fixed vertical guide, a window pane support slidably mounted on said guide and supporting the window pane, pneumatic actuating means connected with said window pane support, a locking element carried by said window pane support and engageable with the guide to releasably secure the window pane in any position of adjustment, and common means to control the pneumatic actuating means and said locking element.

3. In a window regulator adapted to raise and lower a window pane, a fixed substantially verticalguide, a window pane support slidable on the guide and supporting the windowpane, actuating means connected with the window pane support, a stop element carried by the window pane support and engageable withthe guide to releasably hold the window pane against actuation, said stop element moving with the window ,pane s pport during raising and lowering of the wind w pane, and controlling means for the stop elem nt having a slidable connection therewith to release the same from a remote point.

4. In a window'regulator to raise and lower a window/pane, a fixed vertical guide, a window 'pane support slidable on the guide and connected sections for exhausting air from certain of said sections to cause the same to collapse.

5. In a. window regulator, pneumatic means to actuate a window pane comprising telescoped cylinders communicated with each other, a piston telescoped within the inner cylinder, means to connect the piston with the window pane, and means through which the air may be exhausted from the cylinders to cause the piston to rise within the inner cylinder and to collapse the cylinders.

6. In a window regulator adapted to actuate a window pane, a guide having its opposite 'ends adapted for attachment to fixed supports, a member slidable on the guide and having a connection with the window pane, pneumatic means carried by said guide and having a connection with said member slidable on the guide, a valve to control the operation of the pneumatic means fixed near one end of the guide, a locking mechanism carried by said member slidable on the guide and engageable with the guide to releasably lock said member, and consequently the window pane in any position of adjustment, and a valve controlling stem parallel with the guide and having a connection with the valve whereby the same may be controlled from a remote point and having a free sliding connection with the locking mechanism to actuate the same simultaneously with the actuation of the valve regardless of the position of adjustment of said window pane and the member slidable on the guide.

7. In a window regulator adapted to actuate a window pane, the combination of a stationary guide, a member slidable on the stationary guide and connected with the, window pane, pneumatic means connected to said member slidable on the guide to actuate the same, a valve to control the pneumatic means, a mechanical locking mechanism carried by said member slidable on the guide with a part engageable with the guide to releasably lock said member and the window pane against movement, means to directly clamp the window pane to hold the same against rattling, and common means to control the valve, the locking mechanism, and the clamping means. 8. In a window regulator to raise and lower a window-pane, a pneumatic actuator connected with the window pane, a valve to control the operation of the pneumatic actuator, locking mechanism to releasably secure the window pane against actuation, clamping means to directly engage the window pane and hold the same against rattling, and common control means for said valve, the locking mechanism and the clamping means.

9. In a window regulator to raise and lower a window pane, pneumatically operable actuating means connected with the' window pane, a valve to control the operation of said pneumatic means, a pair of separate window pane holding means, and common means to control the valve and said spaced holding means.

10. In a window regulator to move a window pane to open and closed position, pneumatic actuating means connected with the window pane, a valve to control the operation of said pneumatic actuating means, stationary window pane holding means, a second window pane holding means movable with the window panel and common means manually operable to control the valve and said two window pane holding means.

11. In combination with a wall having a window opening provided with a sill and a window pane movable from a position closing the win-- dow opening to a position disposed within the wall beneath the sill, pneumatic actuating means within the wall and connected with the window pane, a valve mounted within the lower portion of the walk to control the operation of the pneumatic actuating means, locking mechanism movable with the window pane and having a releasable connection with a stationary part carried by the wall, a manually operable handle adjacent the window sill, and a connecting bar extending from said handle to the valve, said bar having a sliding connection with the locking mechanism whereby both the valve and the looking mechanism are controllable by the handle member. f

12. In combination with a window pane adapted to be moved to and from a closed position, pneumatic actuating means connected with the window pane, a valve to control the operation of the pneumatic actuating means, a. locking mechanism to positively hold the window pane in adjusted position, said locking mechanism being movable with the window pane, and a common actuating memb r for the valve and locking mechanism, said actuating member having a sliding connection with the locking mechanism so as to actuate the same simultaneously with the actuation of the valve regardless of the position of the window pane and said locking mechanism.

13. In a window regulator adapted to raise I and lower a window pane, a window pane supporting member connected with the window pane to be movable therewith, locking means to releasably positively hold the window pane in adjusted position comprising, a pair of levers pivot- -al1y connected at a medial point, means connecting one end of one lever to the supporting member, a locking pin attached to the adjacent end of the other lever, a fixed member having a plurality of openings into which the locking pin is projectable, and a controlling member disposed between the opposite ends of the levers to spread the same upon turning of said controlling member and thereby withdraw the locking pin from an opening in which it is engaged.

14. In a window regulator adapted to move a window pane to and. from closed position, a fixed guide parallel with the line of motion of the window pane, a member slidable on said guide and connected-with the window pane, and means to releasably lock the window pane against actuation, comprising a pair of levers medially pivotally connected, means to connect one end of one lever to the slidable member, means on the adjacent end of the other lever movable by the lever into and out of locking engagement with the stationary guide, means to yieldably urge the levers to a position with their ends in alignment so as to maintain said lockingmeans in operative en-' gagement with the stationary guide, and a'controlling member substantially parallel with the guide and disposed between the opposite ends of the levers whereby axial rotation of said controlling member spreads the ends of the levers to release the locking engagement.

15. In a window regulator adapted to move a window pane to and from a closed position, a fixed guide parallel to the direction of motion of said window pane, a member slidable on the guide and connected with the window pane, and

means to lock the window pane against actuation comprising, a'pair of pivotally connected levers forming substantially a scissors, means to connect one end of one lever to the member slidable on the guide,'me'ans carried by the adjacent end of theother lever and operable to engage the guide in a locking action when the scissors formed by the connected levers are closed, spring means to urge the scissors closed, and a releasing member substantially parallel to the fixed guide and operable on the other ends of the levers forming the scissors to open the same and release the lockingengagement.

16. In a window regulator adapted to move a window paneto and from closed position, a fixed guide parallel to the direction of motion of the window pane, a member slidable on the guide and connected with the window pane, and means to releasably lock the window pane against actuation comprising, a pair of medially pivotally connected levers forming substantially scissors,

means to connect one end of one of said levers to .spring means to yieldably urge the scissors to the member slidable on the guide, means carried by the adjacent end of the other lever and adapted for locking engagement with the guide.

closed position andto maintain saidlocking en-. gagement operative, meansto limit the degree of closing of said scissors whereby the opposite ends of the levers forming the scissors are held against approaching each other beyond a predetermined distance, and a releasing bar disposed betweensaid other ends of the levers and rotatable axially to spread said lever ends and release the locking engagement, said releasing bar being of less thickness than the minimum distance to which the lever ends are urged so that freesliding operative connection is atall times main-. tained between the bar and the lever ends.

17. In a window regulator adapted to move a window pane to and from closed position, means to clamp the window pane and hold the same against rattling at any position of adjustment comprising, a fixed bumper at one side of the window pane, a movable clamping member engageable with the window pane opposite said fixed bumper, -a spring to yieldably urge said clamping member toward the window pane, and means to oppose the action of saidspring and release the clamping action .of said clamping member comprising an element rotatable about a fixed axis, and an eccentric cam on said element engageable with the spring to move the same away from the clamping member upon rotation of said element.

'18. In combination with a window pane adapted tor movement to and from closed position, means to clamp the window pane and hold it against rattling comprising, a fixed bumper at one side of the window pane, a movable clamping member opposite said fixed bumper on the other side of the window pane, a support for said movable clamping member, a spring confined betweensaid clamping memberand part of said support to yieldably urge the clamping member toward the window pane, and means to release the clamping member from clamping engagement comprising, a rotatable -member-, an eccentric cam on said rotatable member engageable with the spring, a bearingfixed with respectfto the support for the clamping member in'which the rotatable member is journalled so that rotation thereof through the eccentric cam moves the spring away from the clamping member, and a handle for turning said rotatable member.

STANLEY w. mcn orso v; '130 

